Child Nutrition

During your baby's first 3 months, breast milk or formula will provide all the nutrition needed.

But as your infant develops physically and mentally, the feeding process will evolve. In general, babies move toward consuming more milk during each feeding, so won't need to feed as often and will sleep longer at night.

But there will be times during the next year — and, especially, in the first 3 months — when a growth spurt increases your baby's appetite. Continue to feed on demand and increase the number of feedings as needed.

Your infant also will become more alert as the weeks progress, starting to coo and developing a social smile. So there will probably be more interaction between you and your baby during feedings.

The following are general guidelines, and your baby may be hungrier more or less often than this. That's why it's important to pay attention to your infant's signals of being hungry or full. A baby who is getting enough might slow down, stop, or turn away from the breast or bottle.

Breastfeeding: How Much and How Often?

During these months, breastfed infants start to feed less frequently and sleep for longer periods at night. You can be reassured that your breastfed infant probably is eating enough if he or she:

• seems alert, content, and active
• is steadily gaining weight, growing, and developing
• feeds six to eight times per day
• is wetting and soiling diapers on a regular basis

Your baby might not be eating enough if he or she doesn't appear satisfied, even after feeding, and cries constantly or is irritable. Call your baby's doctor if notice any of these signs.

Remember that after about a month, breastfed babies tend to have fewer bowel movements than they did before. When your child is around 2 months old, he or she may not have a bowel movement after each feeding, or even every day. If your infant still hasn't had a bowel movement after 3 days, call your doctor.

During periods of rapid growth, you may notice that your little one wants to feed more frequently. This frequent nursing prompts the mother's body to increase the milk supply, and in a couple of days, supply and demand will get into balance.

Exclusively breastfed infants should get vitamin D supplements within the first few days of life, but additional supplements, water, juice, and solid foods aren't usually necessary.